The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1887-12-08

deposit the money nelQ Dv Cno SOVernl1eub
in banks throughout the country for use by
the people is, it seems to me, exceedingly
Objectionable IN principle. as establishing
too close n relationship between tho opera
tons OF the government treasury ana The
business of the country, and too extensive q
commingling of their money, thus fostering
an unnatural reliance IN private business
upon public funds Ii this scheme should
be adopted it should only be done as tenn
porary eXpedient TO meet an urgent neces-
slty. Legislative and executive effort should
generally be in the opposite direction and
should have q tendency to divorce, as much
and as fast as can safely be done, the treas
ury department from private enterprise
or course it is not expected that unnecessary
and extravaganza appropriations will be made
for the purpose of avoiding the accumulation
OF an excess of revenue Such expenditure,
beside the decentralization OF all Just con-
captions of public duty which it entails,
stimulates habit of reckless improvidence
not in tho least consistent with the mission OF
our people or the high and beneticent pur-
poses OF our government have deemed 1t
my duty to thus bring to the knowledge of
my countrymen, as well as to tie attention
OF their representatives charged with the re-
sponsibiliuies of Legislative relief, the gravity
OF our financial situation. The failure of con-
gress heretofore to provide against the dan
gers which 1t was quite evident the very ma
ture of the difficulty must necessarily pro-
uuCe, cuuS6u u COuultloll VI llluuCltt ulSlItSS
and apprehension since your last adjourn
ment which taxed to the utmost all the au-
tnorlty and expedients within executive con-
troll; and these appear now to be exhausted
Ii disaster results from the continued mae
ton of congress, the responsibility must rest
where it belongs though the situation thus
far considered Is fraueht with danger which
should be fully realized, and though it pre-
SCENTS features OF wrong to the people as we'll
as
PERIL TO THE COUNTRY,
it is but a result growing out of per-
fectly palpable and apparent cause, con-
stanIly reproducing the same alarming cir
cumstances-a congested national treasury
and o depleted monetary condition IN the
business of the country. 1t need hardly be
stated that while the present situation de-
mands remedy We can only be saved from
a like predcament in the future by the re-
moyal OF its cause. Our scheme of taxation,
by means of which this needless surplus is
taken from the people ana put into the pub
lie treasury, consists Of a tariff or duty levied
upon lmportatlonS from abroad and internal
revenue taxes levied upon the consumption
OF tobacco and spirituous and malt liquors
1t must be conceded that none OF the things
subjected 10 internal revenue taxation are,
strictly speaking. necessary. There appears
to be no just complaint of this taxation by
the consumers of these articles, and there
seems to be nothing SO well able to bear the
burden without hardship to any portion OF
the people But our present tariff laws, the
vicious, inequitabe, and illogical source of
unnecessary taxation, ought to be at once
revised and amended These laws, as their
primary aud plain effect, raise the price to
consumers of all articles imported and sub
iect to duty, by precisely the sum paid for
such duties. Thus the amount of the duty
measures the tax paid by those who purchase
for use these Imported articles Many of
these tllDUS however lrera!Se1
featured III our country, and the duties now
levied upon foreign goods and products are
called production to these home manufact-
ureS. because they render it possible for
those OF our people who are manufacturers
10 make these taxed articles and sell them
for price equal to that demanded for the
imported goods that have paid customs duty
So it happens that while comparatively few
use the imported articles, millions of our
people, who never use and never saw any of
the imported products. purchase and use
things of the same kind made in this country
and pay therefor nearly or quite the same
charged price which the duty adds to the
imported articles. Those who buy imports
pay the duty charged thereon into the pub
lie treasury, but the great majority of our
citizens who buy domestic articles OF the
same class pay sum at least approximately
equal to this duty to the home manufact-
urer This reference TO the operation of our
tariff laws is not made by way of instruc-
ton, but IN order that we may be constantly
reminded Of the manner in which they
IMPOSE A BURDEN
upon those who consume domestic products
as well as those who consume imported
articles, and thus create a tax upon all our
people 1t is not proposed to entirely re-
lieve the country of this taxation. 1t must
be extensively continued as the source of
the governments income; and in a readiuSt-
meut OF our tariff the interests of American
labor engaged in manufacture should be
carefully considered, as we'll as the preserva-
ton of our manufacturers. 1t may be called
protection, or by any other name, but relief
from the hardships and dangers of our pres
ent tariff laws should be devised with espe-
cIal precauulon against Importing the exist
ence of our manufacturing interests But
this existence should not mean q condition
which, without regard to the public welfare
or national exgency. must always insure
the realization of immense profits instead of
moderately profitable returns. AS the vol
ume and diversity of our national activities
increase, new recruits are added to those
who desire continuation of the advantages
which they conceive the present system of
tariff taxation directly affords them. SO
stubbornly have all efforts to reform the
present condition been resisted by those of
our fellow citizens thus engaged, that they
can hardly complain of the suspicion, enter
tanned TO certain extent, that there exists
An organized combination all along the
line to maintain their advantage We are in
the midst of centennial celebrations. and
with becoming pride we rejoice in American
skill and Ingenuity, in American energy
and enterprise, and in the wonderful
natural advantages and resources developed
by q century's national growth. Yet when
an attempt is made to justify scheme
which permits a tax to be laid upon every
consumer in the land for the benefit of our
manufacturers, quite beyond reasonable
demand for governmental regard, it suits
the purposes of advocacy to call our manu-
features infant industries, still needing the
highest and greatest degree of favor and
fostering care that can be Wrung from
federal leGis!a alton. 1t is also said that the
increase in the price of domestic manufact-
ure resulting from the present tariff is nee
essary in order that higher wages may be
paid to our workingmen employed in manu-
factories, than are paid for what is called
the pauper labor of Europe All will ac-
knowledge the force of an argument which
involves the welfare and liberal compensa-
ton of our laboring people. Our labor is
honorable in the eyes of every American
citizen. AS it lays the foundation of our
development and progress, it is entitled,
without affectation OF hypocrisy, to the
utmost regard The standard of our labor
ers life should not be measured by that of
they are entitled to their full share
of all our advantages. By the last
census it is made to appear that Of the
1920 of our population engaged in all
kinds OF industries, 1910 493 are employed
in agriculture, 4,O74, 23S in professional
and personal service (2.944, S76 of whom
are domestic servants and laDorers), while
1,81O,256 are employed N trade and trans
portation, and 1887, 112 are classed as en-
ployed in manufacturing and mining.
THE NUMBER TOO HIGH.
For present purposes, however, the last
number given should be considerably re-
duced. Without attempting to enumerate
ALL it will be conceded that there should be
deducted from these which it includes 375,-
143 carpenters and joiners, 285, 4O1 MILL
ners, dressmakers and seamstresses, 172, 72G
blacksmiths. 1873, 756 tailors and tailoresses,
1O2, 473 masons, rs, 241 butchers. 4 .3O9
bakers % ,OS3 plasterers and 4, S91 engaged
in manufacturing agricultural implements,
amounting in the aggregate to PA O23,
leaving 2,623,OS9 persons employed in
such manufacturing industries as are
claimed to be benefited by high tariff.
TO these the appeal is made to save their
employment and maintain their wages by
resisting change There should be no dis
position to answer such suggestions by the
allegation that they are in minority among
those who labor, and therefore should fore
go an advantage, in the interest of low
prices for the majority: their CONDENSATION.